Three dead in overnight crashes

Stephen Cauchi

Three people have died in separate incidents in a horror night on Victoria's regional roads.

In the most recent accident, a south-bound truck ran off the Calder Freeway at Carlsruhe, south of Kyneton, and killed the driver.

Police said that the truck moved into the right-hand lane, left the road, smashed through guard rail, crossed over the median strip, travelled 15 to 20 metres down an embankment, and crossed the Campaspe River before coming to a stop on the opposite side.

A caller phoned triple zero about 6.25am after noticing the truck near Cobb and Co Road, but police believe the accident happened at 2am.

South-bound lanes of the Calder Freeway are expected to remain closed until early afternoon. Traffic will be diverted at the Edgecombe Street exit onto the Old Calder Freeway.

Cobb and Co Road will also be closed at Victoria Road while emergency services stop fuel leaking from the truck.

Advertisement

At 8pm on Friday, a motorcyclist died after hitting a car in Golden Square, a suburb of Bendigo. Police believe the rider of the motorcycle was travelling north along Oak Street when he collided with a car turning from Mackenzie Street West.

Police have not yet formally identified the motorcyclist, who died at the scene, while the female driver of the car was taken to hospital for observation.

And a woman died near Swan Hill after being struck by a car in Nyah West at 9.15pm.

Police believe the 46-year-old local woman was attempting to cross Monash Avenue when she was hit by a Holden travelling east at 9.15pm. She died at the scene.

The driver of the Holden, a 21-year-old man from Nyah West, was not injured but was treated for shock.

Police are appealing for witnesses, particularly the drivers of a large header harvesting machine and a ute seen travelling west. Police believe the drivers may have witnessed the woman's movements prior to the incident.

The road toll for this year is 250, compared to 247 for the same time last year.